Picky Eater

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  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Hey Guys,

    I'm a pretty picky eater. How do you make sure you get all your veggies/enough protein and don't OD on carbs when you're a picky eater? Any ideas on how to hide veggies in certain foods?

    Thanks!

    What foods do you like?

    Buy them canned or frozen -- they do not have to be fresh.
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
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    Making large batches of soup is a good way to get your vegetables in. You can blend them up and freeze them.
  • pixtotts
    pixtotts Posts: 552 Member
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    Experiment!
    I always HATED green vegetables.... turns out I don't I just only like them undercooked. Crunchy almost raw I like most of them...
    Broccoli = ick . Broccoli and stilton soup = YUM (I don't like stilton either but somehow together they work...).
    Any veg put through a blender can be hidden in a sauce!

    Smoothies/juices ultimate way to hide veg. I've had a juicer since May, I've yet to make one without carrots in it...
    x
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
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    It would be much easier to help if we knew what things you do like... that way if there is a good way to mask it we know what kind of base to work with :wink:

    I will tell you I use a lot of baby spinach, personally I love veggies, so I don't really have a hard time with it, but having picky kids you find ways to make it work.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I'd encourage you to try things as well. I really really don't like canned veggies, mostly due to consistency, but I really like fresh or frozen ones. Don't like them boiled? Try steaming or roasting or sauteeing or just eat them raw. I get this will conflict with your cheapness but most veggies aren't horribly expensive.

    I'm kind of picky about veggies too so I mainly stick to the ones I like. Ones I don't like as much (spinach, carrots) I put in soups/stews or casseroles so the taste/texture is hidden. Along the same lines, I've found it helps to have a yummy side dish. I'll eat a lot more of my broccoli if I can mix it in with au gratin rice or stroganoff noodles. Plus that saves me from trying to hide the taste with lots of butter and salt.

    I also will pack the ones I like raw in with lunch so I get an extra serving in during the day. Cucumbers, pea pods, baby carrots, grape tomatoes.... Eat them with your sandwich like you would chips.

    Good luck!
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
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    I have some of the same advice as early posters but I'm speaking as someone who used to be picky as well. There were SO many foods I wouldn't eat that eating healthy and eating at people's houses was really hard.

    As an example - I always hated cottage cheese. The first time I tried it as an adult, I gagged and spit it out. My stomach would get in a knot every time I thought about it. I drove my husband crazy complaining about how my stomach hurt for two or three days afterward.

    But... I wanted to get pregnant and I did not want my kid to be picky. I knew the best thing to do was to model good eating habits. So I kept trying new things.

    I did it slowly. First, I tried a new thing a couple of times a month in small amounts. If I didn't like something, I would try it again a couple of months later because RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT CAN 3 OR 4 TRIES TO LIKE SOMETHING. Then it started to be fun! So I tried a new thing at least once a week.

    Some things were easy to learn to like. Butternut squash, honeydew melon, pineapple, beets... yum! Somethings took a few tries (but now I adore them!) like oysters, sushi, and brussel sprouts.

    So, my suggestion is to...
    1) Stock up on the stuff you do like
    2) Try a new thing once a week. TAKE SEVERAL BITES. If you like it, great! If not, make a note to try it a couple of months later.
    3) Try things prepared different ways. Try roasting, grilling, steaming, shredding raw, etc.
    4) DO NOT GIVE UP. Give yourself months and years to make this change. It won't happen in a week.
    5) Have fun with it! Don't stress about it and focus on the positive reasons why you are trying new things. Have fun shopping and looking up recipes for new foods.
    6) Record your successes. Celebrate them! Share your new love of ____ food with people.

    I suggest this because food is so much fun for me now. I am still trying new foods and the only things I don't LOVE is olives and even those I will eat. I eat such a wide variety of healthy and delicious food and enjoy every bite!

    And one of my favorite desserts now is cottage cheese with chopped banana and some cinnamon. OMG SO GOOD. I might just have some tonight! :)

    (That took forever to type out. Hope it helps.)
  • DanaLash
    DanaLash Posts: 59 Member
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    Eat for fuel, not for fun.

    After about the age of 15, "I'm a picky eater" isn't cute.

    Omigosh, all this time I thought I was so adorable. Damnit. Years and years of cuteness, wasted.

    I am TRYING to eat for fuel. That's the point. I just want my fuel to not taste like ****.
  • DanaLash
    DanaLash Posts: 59 Member
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    Oh, and DanaLash - there's a recipe book called Deceptively Delicious which is ALL about hiding veggies in delicious foods (like taco pie etc.) - it's basically written so that you can get veggies into kids who are anti-veggie but it works for adults too. Might be worth checking out.

    THANK YOU! I couldn't remember the name of it. I knew there was a cook book out there. I love broccoli, zucchini, brussel sprouts, cucumber, any kind of fruit, and chicken. But that's about it. Other than that it's noodles, rice, potatoes unhealthy stuff. So, I'm trying to branch out, try new things, and find healthy recipes or ways to trick myself into eating healthier. Thank you so much for your suggestions and understanding! :)
  • DanaLash
    DanaLash Posts: 59 Member
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    I have some of the same advice as early posters but I'm speaking as someone who used to be picky as well. There were SO many foods I wouldn't eat that eating healthy and eating at people's houses was really hard.

    As an example - I always hated cottage cheese. The first time I tried it as an adult, I gagged and spit it out. My stomach would get in a knot every time I thought about it. I drove my husband crazy complaining about how my stomach hurt for two or three days afterward.

    But... I wanted to get pregnant and I did not want my kid to be picky. I knew the best thing to do was to model good eating habits. So I kept trying new things.

    I did it slowly. First, I tried a new thing a couple of times a month in small amounts. If I didn't like something, I would try it again a couple of months later because RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT CAN 3 OR 4 TRIES TO LIKE SOMETHING. Then it started to be fun! So I tried a new thing at least once a week.

    Some things were easy to learn to like. Butternut squash, honeydew melon, pineapple, beets... yum! Somethings took a few tries (but now I adore them!) like oysters, sushi, and brussel sprouts.

    So, my suggestion is to...
    1) Stock up on the stuff you do like
    2) Try a new thing once a week. TAKE SEVERAL BITES. If you like it, great! If not, make a note to try it a couple of months later.
    3) Try things prepared different ways. Try roasting, grilling, steaming, shredding raw, etc.
    4) DO NOT GIVE UP. Give yourself months and years to make this change. It won't happen in a week.
    5) Have fun with it! Don't stress about it and focus on the positive reasons why you are trying new things. Have fun shopping and looking up recipes for new foods.
    6) Record your successes. Celebrate them! Share your new love of ____ food with people.

    I suggest this because food is so much fun for me now. I am still trying new foods and the only things I don't LOVE is olives and even those I will eat. I eat such a wide variety of healthy and delicious food and enjoy every bite!

    And one of my favorite desserts now is cottage cheese with chopped banana and some cinnamon. OMG SO GOOD. I might just have some tonight! :)

    (That took forever to type out. Hope it helps.)

    That is actually really interesting! I always swore stuff off permanently! I also am a big texture person. I'll have to re-try some stuff! Thanks!
  • vhrebenyak
    vhrebenyak Posts: 9
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    I am like many that replied - I make smoothies for breakfast. Spinach works best for me because it really has no taste in the smoothie.
  • vhrebenyak
    vhrebenyak Posts: 9
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    QUOTE:


    Eat for fuel, not for fun.

    After about the age of 15, "I'm a picky eater" isn't cute.



    Omigosh, all this time I thought I was so adorable. Damnit. Years and years of cuteness, wasted.

    I am TRYING to eat for fuel. That's the point. I just want my fuel to not taste like ****.



    You're hilariously awesome!!
  • LB2812
    LB2812 Posts: 158 Member
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    Former very picky eater here! :flowerforyou:
    My advice would be to keep trying the things you think you might not like... and to try them different ways! I feel like your tastes buds definately change over time depending on what you are used to. I used to not like ANY vegetables and eat minimal fruit, now there's barely a veggie or fruit out there I won't eat. I mean, are peppers my favorite thing in the world? No. But I made stuffed peppers the other day, and i didn't think i'd like them... I figured I'd just choke them down and have something "fun" afterwards. And I am still surprised that i ended up LOVING them. I wish i made more they were so good. I used to hate carrots too - cooked they were mushy and I just didn't like baby carrots. Turned out, my mom was over cooking them and i love fresh carrots cooked in stir frys or cut up and dipped in hummus. So that's my advice, would just be to start with what you like adn slowly add in some other stuff and to try it in different forms.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Additional thought - if you've got any friends that you know are big on trying new things and/or cooking different things, ask for their input and ideas. I have a couple of friends that are more creative with cooking so before I try something that sounds interesting, I ask them if they'd ever made it before. Even if they haven't, they usually have some good ideas to share.

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